View Full Version : Cell Phones and Thru Hiking
hikergirl1120
11-06-2008, 15:27
I am just looking for opinions here.
I am doing a solo 2009 SOBO and I DO NOT WANT to take a cell phone. In speaking to friends/family about that descision people seem to think I am crazy.
My thoughts are that:
1) Who's paying for it while I am not working for 6 months? Unfortunately I do not have a sugar daddy or mama for that matter!
2)Extra weight ( phone and charger?? I don't see the point)
3)Keeping it charged, I would either have to get a solar powered device or try and find a place when I come into towns to charge it which seems like quite a hassle.
4) would there even be service?
I would expect to find public phones along the way (even though pay phones are quickly becoming a thing of the past)
Am I totally crazy to not want one?
I must admit that the people sharing their opinions on this are also not about to jump into the woods for any reason so they aren't exactly on the same page to begin with.
Any thoughts?
stumpknocker
11-06-2008, 15:32
Sounds like you have listed a lot of great reasons for not carrying one yourself. :-?
Serial 07
11-06-2008, 15:47
leave the phone behind...just another responsibility, more weight and a connection to the outside world...the trail is about the trail...phones will be around when you need'em...forget the phone and be free!
Any thoughts?
You are not crazy at all. Your four points are very valid.
Just let you family know you'll call them about every 4-5 days to check in. People tend to project THEIR fears upon you. They are afraid of being disconnected, so you should too...
This is what I meant previously about a "culture of connectivity". If you don't want to be connected 24/7, you are an aberration.
May be worth checking out:
http://www.pmags.com/joomla/index.php/Media/wildbeat_pt1.html
But that is getting a bit more deeper than you probably wanted. :)
You are not crazy. Just calmly discuss the reasons you gave us and reinforce you will be in contact; they just can't expect it 24/7. It is YOUR trip, not theirs.
The last couple of sections that I have hiked, I have found either no nearby public phones or the ones that are left are on their last leg. I remember having to bum a cell phone from the bar tender at the hotel in Port Clinton because their public phone had recently been removed. So unless you can borrow a cell phone, don't count on finding many public phones on or near the trail.
So unless you can borrow a cell phone, don't count on finding many public phones on or near the trail.
But it worked out. This is the AT, not the outback of Alaska. Ask politely, use a phone card (remember those???) and you can probably use a business phone for a QUICK phone call to check in.
I was on the freakin' CDT and was able to make phone calls at least once a week. I don't think the AT will be more difficult in terms of finding a phone.
Lone Wolf
11-06-2008, 16:02
I am just looking for opinions here.
I am doing a solo 2009 SOBO and I DO NOT WANT to take a cell phone. In speaking to friends/family about that descision people seem to think I am crazy.
My thoughts are that:
1) Who's paying for it while I am not working for 6 months? Unfortunately I do not have a sugar daddy or mama for that matter!
2)Extra weight ( phone and charger?? I don't see the point)
3)Keeping it charged, I would either have to get a solar powered device or try and find a place when I come into towns to charge it which seems like quite a hassle.
4) would there even be service?
I would expect to find public phones along the way (even though pay phones are quickly becoming a thing of the past)
Am I totally crazy to not want one?
I must admit that the people sharing their opinions on this are also not about to jump into the woods for any reason so they aren't exactly on the same page to begin with.
Any thoughts?
go without a cell. there are still plenty of pay phones in towns. if you get in a real jam, which is rare, someone is always willing to lend you a cell. i don't own one and never will
No Belay
11-06-2008, 16:07
I am just looking for opinions here.
I am doing a solo 2009 SOBO and I DO NOT WANT to take a cell phone. In speaking to friends/family about that descision people seem to think I am crazy.
My thoughts are that:
1) Who's paying for it while I am not working for 6 months? Unfortunately I do not have a sugar daddy or mama for that matter!Send me a picture. I'd make a Great sugar daddy.
2)Extra weight ( phone and charger?? I don't see the point)Buy an extra bettery and bounce box your charger.
3)Keeping it charged, I would either have to get a solar powered device or try and find a place when I come into towns to charge it which seems like quite a hassle.Due to the Rural Electrification Program, you'll find that over 50% of the towns you'll go into will have electricity, even in the hotels.
4) would there even be service? Service is usually available on peaks and ridges. Just make sure your plan has PEAK minutes available.
I would expect to find public phones along the way (even though pay phones are quickly becoming a thing of the past) Most hikers use phone cards so a pay phone isn't required. People are pretty good about letting you use their phone if you have a card.
Am I totally crazy to WANT one? Absolutely!!!
I must admit that the people sharing their opinions on this are also not about to jump into the woods for any reason so they aren't exactly on the same page to begin with. You're right. Most on this site are afraid to leave the trail and are only on their own page (AT companion).
Any thoughts? There are a lot of paranoid peole hiking and they tend to carry comfort devices i.e. cell phones. I'll bet you can yogi a phone if you absolutely have to have one and let them carry the extra weight. God Speed on your thru and don't forget to Savor Happy!
TaTonka
Blissful
11-06-2008, 16:08
It's a personal decision. I probably wouldn't have carried one either, except my hubby wanted me to stay in touch. Come to find out, there were times I REALLY needed that phone to talk when things were going bad.
Nowadays they are making phones and chargers lighter weight. But to me, it's worth the weight in gold. And Verizon had the best coverage. I even got coverage in the 100 mile wilderness.
Lone Wolf
11-06-2008, 16:11
I am doing a solo 2009 SOBO and I DO NOT WANT to take a cell phone. In speaking to friends/family about that descision people seem to think I am crazy.
Any thoughts?
if your family/friends want you to have one then they should pay for it. that's my thought
Blissful
11-06-2008, 16:17
Just FYI-- there are a few places that have no pay phone or very few (and some don't work, so can't count on that either). Salisbury, CT has no pay phone (and no good cell coverage either, BTW). Duncannon, PA had only one working phone when we went through, near the bar at the hotel. Pay phones are getting scarce.
But even if you carry a cell phone, also carry a phone card.
if your family/friends want you to have one then they should pay for it. that's my thought
Ditto.
If your family does choose to give you a phone, and you choose to accept it, you need to make it clear to them that the possession of a cell phone does NOT mean they will have 24/7 access to you. They will not even have once-a-day access to you. If they cannot grasp the concept that you will not always have reception, and will not keep the phone turned on (to save the batteries), and will, in general, not let the phone run your hike, then it would be better not to have a phone at all.
A cell phone is a convenience, but it is only a convenience.
Don't need a cell phone. Can be convenient when seeking rides, arranging hostels, ordering pizza ;) - I'm now under the impression most places expect you to be able to call them from the trail. I have yet to carry one. Hitchhiking still works.
That said, if paying for one while away is your main concern, TrakFone works quite well and uses whatever network is available. About $130 bucks will get you several hundred minutes of use, one year of activation and the phone with no contracts or additional costs involved. I've been using it for years in normal life (I use minimal minutes) and it is easy and cost effective. Easy to add minutes if necessary from any computer with a credit card.
All your other concerns need to be addressed if you choose to carry one. But as I said, it isn't necessary. Pay phones are not nearly as prevalent as they once were, many are "out of order" and virtually all require a phone card - they do not accept coins.
Have fun.
Lone Wolf
11-06-2008, 16:22
Don't need a cell phone. Can be convenient when seeking rides, arranging hostels - I'm now under the impression most places expect you to be able to call them from the trail. I have yet to carry one. Hitchhiking still works.
That said, if paying for one while away is your main concern, TrakFone works quite well and uses whatever network is available. About $130 bucks will get you several hundred minutes of use, one year of activation and the phone with no contracts or additional costs involved. I've been using it for years in normal life (I use minimal minutes) and it is easy and cost effective. Easy to add minutes if necessary from any computer with a credit card.
All your other concerns need to be addressed if you choose to carry one. But as I said, it isn't necessary. Pay phones are not nearly as prevalent as they once were, many are "out of order" and virtually all require a phone card - they do not accept coins.
Have fun.
we have 8 pay phones in damascus. they all accept coins
hikergirl1120
11-06-2008, 16:25
Thanks guys!! I think I am going to stick with the phone card.
No Belay
11-06-2008, 16:26
Thanks guys!! I think I am going to stick with the phone card.
What??? No picture?
Lone Wolf
11-06-2008, 16:27
Thanks guys!! I think I am going to stick with the phone card.
excellent decision. every hiker i've ever seen with a cell is a slave to it. always looking at it, always checking for service, always got it stuck to their ears in town.
And, you can probably use a private business phone if you ask politely (please and thankyou go a long way!) and use a phone card. Also, if the phone call is quick.
So, if you really in a jam and to let the family know you are OK, just do the above. Emphasize it won't cost the business money and that you will be quick.
As others said, a cell phone is a convenience, not a necessity. It is impossible to have 24/7 converage on the AT anyway (be it because of signal or simple lack of adequate battery power).
The last couple of sections that I have hiked, I have found either no nearby public phones or the ones that are left are on their last leg. I remember having to bum a cell phone from the bar tender at the hotel in Port Clinton because their public phone had recently been removed. So unless you can borrow a cell phone, don't count on finding many public phones on or near the trail.
I just had to bum a call off the Dunkin Donuts folks a couple of weeks back after getting off the train to call my ride. One pay phone in walking distance and it was broke. I think I am going to have to start carrying one around regularly now.
we have 8 pay phones in damascus. they all accept coins
Well in my experience over the past several years, from Georgia to PA along the AT, of not carrying a cell phone when hiking, Damascus must be one of the exceptions. I know I've ended up with pockets full of quarters after getting change for a phone call, only to find the phone would not accept coins, just calling or credit cards. Had to go back into the store to purchase a calling card with the pocket full of change.
I used to travel full-time for work and this trend was just starting way back in the 80's when I would only occasionally run into this problem. It seems it is no longer cost effective to pay someone to regularly collect the coins from the phones. Damascus must still have someone locally contracting and making money from this phone service.
Phone cards aren't all that difficult, but I would try to buy it from a known, reputable company. I've recently been reading of a lot of rip-offs related to no-name phone cards. Just a heads up.
garlic08
11-06-2008, 16:37
Just another no vote on the cell phone. You'll have a hard time staying away from them on the AT, every kid has one to check in with Mom and ask for more money and more cinnamon in his oatmeal resupply, full volume after dark in the middle of a crowded campsite (can you sense my bitterness?).
Lone Wolf
11-06-2008, 16:41
Just another no vote on the cell phone. You'll have a hard time staying away from them on the AT, every kid has one to check in with Mom and ask for more money and more cinnamon in his oatmeal resupply, full volume after dark in the middle of a crowded campsite (can you sense my bitterness?).
every year i usually go to georgia in late march to do a little hiking and usually end up at hawk mtn. shelter area for a night where at least 30 or more hikers are staying. at least 20 of them have a cell phone out looking for service or talking
No Belay
11-06-2008, 16:42
Stay away from At&T cards. They have a big surcharge if you use them on a pay phone and they deduct 8 minutes for every one used if you're calling instate.
If you don't want to carry one, don't. You're family will get used to your calling schedule of every few days or once a week.
My wife got me one a few years back for backpacking and fishing so I could keep in touch. She said it was also for an emergency. We have a family member in bad health and I would like to know if something happens. I would hate to have my mom pass away and not find out for 7 more days.
With that being said, my reception sucks when I'm out hiking or fishing. Texting works better than calling. I don't know why. Keep you're phone turned off till you need it. That saves the batteries.
I keep my phone off and not a single person on the trail knows that I carry one.
I went fishing down at Santee Cooper, Sc. a month ago. I looked up and saw the three other guys, all kicked back, texting on their phones. They did this for hours on end. I swore up and down all night long that I was going to throw them overboard. I took a picture of them and showed my wife how our fishing trip went. Next trip I think I will make them leave theirs at home. I'll keep mine put up for an emergency. I
stumpknocker
11-06-2008, 17:31
Sounds like you have listed a lot of great reasons for not carrying one yourself. :-?
Wow...there sure are a lot of voices here against it....soooo, I have to say that I do carry one now. :)
I'm not against anyone having one or not having one...I could care less what other walkers choose. That's why I posted what I did in the quote above when I read your statement about all the reasons you didn't want one.
My mother insisted I carry one on my first thru hike...and I did. (I was 48 years old...you know how mothers are...I was her "Fine Baby Boy") :)
I didn't carry one the next four years, but was walking with a friend who had one in '06 and decided it was time for me to get another one. I didn't walk much in '07, but had one this year with Verizon service and really enjoyed having the convenience. I even sent in my journal with it from thirteen of the fourteen states. (Maine had no data service...but I did have cell service there)
I'm not against anyone having one or not having one...I could care less what other walkers choose. That's why I posted what I did in the quote above when I read your statement about all the reasons you didn't want one.
There is nothing wrong with carrying a cell phone. There is something wrong when other people expect you to carry one IMO.
In any case, what knife to take, what filter to take and whether to take a phone or not are by far the 3 most popular questions people ask on the hiking BBSs.
And, they are some the least important parts of the journey.
Interesting.
stumpknocker
11-06-2008, 18:01
In any case, what knife to take, what filter to take and whether to take a phone or not are by far the 3 most popular questions people ask on the hiking BBSs.
Hummm...never thought about that. What knife should I take. :confused: :)
superman
11-06-2008, 18:24
This is the phone card that I've used for years.
http://www.telecomservices.net/services-products.htm (http://www.telecomservices.net/services-products.htm)
1.9 cents per minute isn't bad. I've never had a problem finding a phone to use it on.
Hummm...never thought about that. What knife should I take. :confused: :)
The biggest you can carry. :)
http://www.knivesjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/knife.jpg
garlic08
11-06-2008, 22:49
This is the phone card that I've used for years.
http://www.telecomservices.net/services-products.htm (http://www.telecomservices.net/services-products.htm)
1.9 cents per minute isn't bad. I've never had a problem finding a phone to use it on.
This is a great deal, mine's 3.5 cents, and an extra dollar from pay phones. Does yours charge extra for a pay phone?
Chaco Taco
11-06-2008, 23:36
tracphone or prepaid calling card. throw a calling card in your maildrop
Rockhound
11-07-2008, 20:35
always carry a cell phone. its so much fun seeing all the places you dont get a signal.
superman
11-07-2008, 21:02
This is a great deal, mine's 3.5 cents, and an extra dollar from pay phones. Does yours charge extra for a pay phone?
When I had my previous calling card I was given notice that they were going to have to charge 50 cents per pay phone call due to a law that was passed. It was 50 cents on this card when I got it but I haven't checked lately to see if it's still 50 cents. Most of the time I use it from motels so that fee doesn't apply. On the occassions that I need to use a pay phone it's worth it to me.
Oh Yeah, I also put both of the numbers into the speed dial at home so I save money at home also. I don't spend a lot of time on the phone but Pat can spend hours talking to her mother.
atraildreamer
11-07-2008, 21:13
TracFone....$10 at WallyWorld...120 minutes for $32....texting @0.3 units (1 minute=1 unit) per message. Great coverage using whatever network it can latch onto.
Why is everyone so down on using a cell phone?:confused: Set up a calling schedule, or just text a message to let someone know you are OK. let them text you if anything happens at home. The message will display when you turn on the cell. Keep the thing shut off when not needed.
A cell is just a piece of technology. If you are really down on technology, dump all of your manufactured gear, go out and kill a bear,(a la Jeremiah Johnson). Skin it to make your clothes, smoke the meat for food, build a log cabin, but don't use a manufactured axe...that technology again!...make one out of stone tied to a branch with the sinews of the above-mentioned bear. I bet thew mountain men and early settlers would have used a cell if they were around then. It would be useful to call in the cavalry in case the injuns (I know...Native Americans} attacked. :eek:
Trillium
11-07-2008, 21:34
if your family/friends want you to have one then they should pay for it. that's my thoughtI agree w/ this. If my daughter was hiking the AT or out of the country on study abroad and couldn't afford the phone bill, I would pay it.
oh yeah, I did. when she was on study abroad in England. It was awesome when she called me from the top of a mountain near Edinburgh, Scotland!
aufgahoban
11-08-2008, 10:01
Scenerio 1: You are hiking along having a wonderful time. You get to camp and realize that at some point you have lost your money, your ID and your debit card. You need to call home so they can cancel said debit card and send you some more cash, but you are two days from a town. You may wish you had a cell phone.
Scenerio 2: You get off the trail and want to get home. You find a phone and call home and ask mom or whoever to book you a flight (since you already lost your debit card) You think all is well and head to the airport. Meanwhile Mom can't get that fight after all, but has no way to contact you. HUGE frustration for mom.. To late, you are on the shuttle to what turns out to be the wrong airport. Costs her $300 extra to get you out from there.
Scenerio 3: While you are out hiking, great aunt sally falls ill and your family all rushes to her side in Houston. No one has any way to let you know. Aunt Sally dies and you didn't even know she was sick. Even if you don't always have reception, someone could at least text you so when you do you could be notified.
Just some food for thought... The cell phone might not be 'convenient' for you to carry, but it sure is a weight off your families minds. Now if no one is at home mailing you packages and updating your journal for you and all of that, then you probably don't owe anyone the courtesy of them being able to leave you messages. But if you have a support team at home you might consider carrying it for them.
Scenerios one and two are true stories btw.. Scenerio 3 is the reason I am begging my daughter to carry a phone, even though she hates the idea with a passion.
Blue Jay
11-08-2008, 10:03
always carry a cell phone. its so much fun seeing all the places you dont get a signal.
This IS the only reason to carry a cell. I carried a Verizon this year for 1100 miles. The only place I got signal was in town standing next to a pay phone.
A complete waste of money and weight.
This IS the only reason to carry a cell. I carried a Verizon this year for 1100 miles. The only place I got signal was in town standing next to a pay phone.
A complete waste of money and weight.
Not my experience at all, between NY and south/central VA. "No signal" happened a lot in the hollows of course, but the phone was operable more often than not, when I chose to use it. Somewhat less so in SNP.
Ya know, if someone posted "DON'T TAKE A CELL PHONE" on a "What cell phone has the best service thread?", there'd be an (deserved) outcry.
So, since this thread is "I don't want to carry a cell phone" thread, let's try to give the same respect.
This is what I've said many times: When a person does not want to carry a cell phone, we are now at the point where the person is an aberration.
Where to not be in (constant) contact is somehow odd at best, wrong at worse.
As for the scenarios.. In scenario one and two, there are alternates.
Losing an ID and such is awful. But there are ways around it.
As for "Mom booking me a flight". Hell, since my brothers and I have been making our own medical co-pays since we were 15 (along with our peers..it was nothing special)...never mind having our parents booking us a flight! I hope the trail will teach young people independence...not counting on Mom to bail them out.
Scenario 3 happened to me in Oct 1998. My maternal grandfather passed away and my family had no way of getting hold of me as I was out of pocket (and probably reception as this was 1998). I arrived home on the day of the funeral and did not know he passed away until I saw the obituary on the fridge door.
Yes, I felt awful. But would having a cell phone make the loss of the family member better? Was it more important that I was there for my mother and grandmother afterwards. Absolutely.
Take a cell phone if YOU wish. But don't try to convinces others to carry a device out of fear.
My grandmothers are now in their late 80s. One has early stages of Alzheimer's. The other, while mentally sharp as a tack, is in very early stages of kidney failure (a "slow leak" not any time soon..but at some point it will happen) Should I live my life in fear? Always carry a phone "just in case"?
My paternal grandmother is especially independent. She would not want me to live in fear of what MAY happen. But to celebrate what WILL and HAS happened. The fact the my grandmother gave me wonderful memories over the years. Christmas Eve dinner with seven different seafoods. Her joy in seeing one her grandson making it to Italy and seeing (literally, I went to the house) where our branch of the Magnanti family came from.
When my grandmothers die, I will mourn. It will be difficult for me.
If I am out of pocket, I will not regret that I could not be there for the funeral. I will instead celebrate that some of my Grandmother's independence rubbed of on me. That I don't need or feel the need to be connected. I think she'd approve.
Connection is not wrong. Carrying a phone "just in case" is not a bad idea.
But to expect others to carry a device due to obligations, cultural reasons or fear *is* wrong.
Let people hike their hike. And you hike yours.
Scenerio 1: You are hiking along having a wonderful time. You get to camp and realize that at some point you have lost your money, your ID and your debit card. You need to call home so they can cancel said debit card and send you some more cash, but you are two days from a town. You may wish you had a cell phone.
Scenerio 2: You get off the trail and want to get home. You find a phone and call home and ask mom or whoever to book you a flight (since you already lost your debit card) You think all is well and head to the airport. Meanwhile Mom can't get that fight after all, but has no way to contact you. HUGE frustration for mom.. To late, you are on the shuttle to what turns out to be the wrong airport. Costs her $300 extra to get you out from there.
Scenerio 3: While you are out hiking, great aunt sally falls ill and your family all rushes to her side in Houston. No one has any way to let you know. Aunt Sally dies and you didn't even know she was sick. Even if you don't always have reception, someone could at least text you so when you do you could be notified.
Just some food for thought... The cell phone might not be 'convenient' for you to carry, but it sure is a weight off your families minds. Now if no one is at home mailing you packages and updating your journal for you and all of that, then you probably don't owe anyone the courtesy of them being able to leave you messages. But if you have a support team at home you might consider carrying it for them.
Scenerios one and two are true stories btw.. Scenerio 3 is the reason I am begging my daughter to carry a phone, even though she hates the idea with a passion.
Scenario 1: The hiker can deal with these problems when they get to town. The pain of dealing with it is a just punishment for being so irresponsible as to lose their important stuff.
Scenario 2: Anyone old enough to hike the AT by themselves is old enough to make their own travel arrangements.
Scenario 3: Something similar happened to a young man I was hiking with in Maine. By the time his brother was hospitalized, he was way ahead of me. His family contacted everyone they knew he had been hiking with. One of the hikers contacted the trail club in the area he was thought to be hiking. He was located within 24 hours. In true emergency situations, people will turn themselves inside out to help you find your hiker.
gonewalkabout
11-15-2008, 14:18
The last couple of sections that I have hiked, I have found either no nearby public phones or the ones that are left are on their last leg. I remember having to bum a cell phone from the bar tender at the hotel in Port Clinton because their public phone had recently been removed. So unless you can borrow a cell phone, don't count on finding many public phones on or near the trail.
Get you best deal on a phone card from BJs or Sams and ask a local person or business to use there phone just keeep it short. Ofcrouse when you in a motel they will probably have phones in the rooms.
Father Dragon
11-15-2008, 15:02
I carry a phone and check my messages every few days, then I turn it off and bury it in my pack. It's more for emergencies and for the MoC to get in touch with me if my kids have a problem. I think I've called out on it like twice (while not in town or a PUS) in the last 500 miles I've hiked; both times being on last mother's day. Even in town I rarely use it.
buff_jeff
11-15-2008, 21:50
I've always brought my phone with me. In the beginning, I'd call every other day or so from the trail (always mindful of the others around me), but I've started basically just calling home from towns.
Hi,
First off, I agree with the numerous posts in this thread that it is not necessary to carry a cell phone. In fact, I did not carry one on my thru hike. Moreover, I don't even own one--by choice!
At literally every town you come to there is a pay phone, and often several pay phones. Carry a prepaid phone card, that's your best bet. That way you could use a pay phone or a regular phone and phone cost already paid. Ask for one for Christmas!
Still, I am curious because almost everyone DID have a cell phone, especially the kids (the under 30's). Kind of annoying in a way (to me at least) they had to be ALWAYS in touch. For me part of the reason to do a very long hike like this is to get AWAY!
at certain places, like Baxter State Park and Abol Bridge, perhaps even much of the 100 mile wilderness cell phone reception is problematic at best. And Baxter State Park forbids the use of them (though I don't see how that could ever get enforced).
You really do not need these contraptions..they are luxury items.
DavidNH
Still, I am curious because almost everyone DID have a cell phone, especially the kids (the under 30's). Kind of annoying in a way (to me at least) they had to be ALWAYS in touch.
Because as a culture, we expect it to be in constant contact. People who are indeed younger than me have grown up where a cell phone is not a luxury item anymore than say a land line is for you or I.
And many of my "professional" peers are addicted to constant communication as well. (On a backpacking trip, I drove so my friend could conduct business up until we were out of reception via her Crackberry!)
There is nothing wrong with being in contact per se...but the expectation that everyone wants to, and should be, in constant contact is wrong.
Anyway, I feel like I am losing a battle and just fighting rear-guard action. :o
The other evening, I lead a full moon hike. A young lady intending to go on the group hike was a little upset with me because she was late...and my cell phone was turned off during the hike. She was shocked and surprised that she could not reach me once the hike started. (As it was a group hike, I did not wait around too long. There are always no-shows in group hikes).
Anyway, that is just one example of many how it is getting to the point where if someone is in 24/7 contact, they expect you to be as well.
I honestly think it is changing how the backcountry is being used, perceived and enjoyed.
shelterbuilder
11-16-2008, 01:34
Because as a culture, we expect it to be in constant contact. People who are indeed younger than me have grown up where a cell phone is not a luxury item anymore than say a land line is for you or I.
And many of my "professional" peers are addicted to constant communication as well. (On a backpacking trip, I drove so my friend could conduct business up until we were out of reception via her Crackberry!)
There is nothing wrong with being in contact per se...but the expectation that everyone wants to, and should be, in constant contact is wrong.
Anyway, I feel like I am losing a battle and just fighting rear-guard action. :o
The other evening, I lead a full moon hike. A young lady intending to go on the group hike was a little upset with me because she was late...and my cell phone was turned off during the hike. She was shocked and surprised that she could not reach me once the hike started. (As it was a group hike, I did not wait around too long. There are always no-shows in group hikes).
Anyway, that is just one example of many how it is getting to the point where if someone is in 24/7 contact, they expect you to be as well.
I honestly think it is changing how the backcountry is being used, perceived and enjoyed.
I carry a cheap TracFone that can text - this is to relieve my wife's fears, not mine. The phone is turned off 99% of the time. We have a pre-arranged text-time when my phone will be on, but she knows that there are some areas where I can't get a signal out. I don't believe myself to be a slave to the technology, but I still resnt its intrusion into a "wilderness" setting, since its presence somehow seems to say that I can't make it on my own out there (which, of course, is hogwash).
I agree with your assessment that the culture of connectivty seems to have made freaks out of those of us who wish to resist it.
Blue Jay
11-16-2008, 19:10
Hi,
First off, I agree with the numerous posts in this thread that it is not necessary to carry a cell phone. In fact, I did not carry one on my thru hike. Moreover, I don't even own one....You really do not need these contraptions..
For once I agree with you. I learned my lesson this year and it is unlikely I'll carry one again unless they suddenly become free (and it rains lemonade).
Blue Jay, I am glad we can agree on something (so Often I seem to be a minority view point here on WB. What was the lesson you learned?
Mags.. gee I wish there where more folks like you out there. your post about the kids and cell phones really nailed it. This 24/7 contact need.. I for one just don't understand it.
David
SurferNerd
11-16-2008, 21:45
I'm bringing my iPhone. I chose it because I have maps and trailguides downloaded to it. I can WiFi in the cities to get my blogging on, and its an iPod whenever I need some music to listen to. I will say that after today in the GSMNP that I had ZERO signal the entire time in the park, but it's still my personal choice.
I am just looking for opinions here.
I am doing a solo 2009 SOBO and I DO NOT WANT to take a cell phone. In speaking to friends/family about that descision people seem to think I am crazy.
My thoughts are that:
1) Who's paying for it while I am not working for 6 months? Unfortunately I do not have a sugar daddy or mama for that matter!
2)Extra weight ( phone and charger?? I don't see the point)
3)Keeping it charged, I would either have to get a solar powered device or try and find a place when I come into towns to charge it which seems like quite a hassle.
4) would there even be service?
I would expect to find public phones along the way (even though pay phones are quickly becoming a thing of the past)
Am I totally crazy to not want one?
I must admit that the people sharing their opinions on this are also not about to jump into the woods for any reason so they aren't exactly on the same page to begin with.
Any thoughts?
It's probably already been brought up, but, here's my only UNselfish reason for carrying a cell phone - If I come across someone ELSE in need, it might be very useful. Beyond that, it's about letting my wife know I'm ok. She doesn't hike and worries about me. Stuff does happen out there.
Bare Bear
11-26-2008, 16:21
I wouldn't hike without one. I use a regular small 110 volt charger that every town and resturant had no problem letting me plug in to charge when needed. I tried to use it away from shelters (the last hill before the shelter seemd best) and not near others. Lots of folks borrowed mine. I saw it save a man's life once (heart attack five miles from a road). I would not depend on it as there are more places it does not work than did work. It is your hike, carry what you want.
Bigglesworth
11-26-2008, 21:53
You can get a cheap-o pre-paid and load minutes as you need it with cards. You can always send it home, then, if you decide it isn't necessary, and you won't be stuck in a contract. You could bounce a charger, though many aren't too big or heavy if you want to carry it. Many people did not have much luck with the solar chargers on the AT. If you keep it off most of the time you'll likely get it to town before it dies.
I didn't carry one NOBO until Vermont. As a female solo hiker, with the crowd thinning out by then, I thought it wasn't a bad idea, so I finally gave in to my family's requests. It was worth having, and I actually did use it in a situation when a friend had a bad reaction to a bee sting and needed help. I got reception more than I thought I would, but it is hit or miss.
I did not allow it to be invasive to me or anyone else, and made it clear to friends and family that I didn't want a bunch or texts and voicemails - that it was for emergencies. I guess that was the compromise for me.